Personalized & Comfortable Lifelong Dental Care

Get to Know Dr. McDonald in Urbandale, IA

Meet Our Doctor

Dr. Chris McDonald has enjoyed practicing family dentistry in the Des Moines metropolitan area since 2000. He proudly serves the community’s dental care needs just as his father did before him in Sac City, Iowa. Dr. McDonald strongly believes that each and every one of his patients deserve optimal dental care. He promises to deliver comprehensive, lifelong dentistry to each of his patients at McDonald Family Dentistry in Urbandale, IA.

To fulfill his promise, he stays committed to continuing education, researching and adapting advanced technology, and using the latest procedures to improve his patients’ dental health. He regularly attends courses and seminars through his local affiliations with the Iowa Dental Association, the American Dental Association, the Academy of General Dentistry, and specialists in the area. He is a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry.

Education

Dr. McDonald graduated from the University of Iowa in Iowa City with his D.D.S. in 1998. As he continued his education and strengthened his experience in all specializations of the dental field, he completed a general practice residency at Wake Forest University where he was honored with the chief resident position. Prior to dental school, he did his undergraduate studies at the University of Iowa (B.A. Biology ’93) and graduated from Sac Community High School in Sac City, Iowa.

Service

Dr. McDonald and the team at McDonald Family Dentistry in Urbandale, IA, charitably donate their time and services by participating in the Iowa Donated Dental Services program through the Dental Lifeline Network.  As well, he and his team visit local elementary and pre-schools during Children’s Dental Health Month in February. He and his wife volunteer with the Greater Iowa Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and also at their church & school community at St. Pius X in Urbandale.

He is a United States Army veteran, having served in Operation Desert Storm/Desert Shield, 1990-1991, and he completed active duty for the Iowa Army National Guard, serving in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Iraq. Currently, he is a member of the Iowa Chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and serves as the dental consultant to the Iowa Veteran’s Home in Marshalltown.

Family

Dr. McDonald resides in Urbandale with his wife, Ann, and their two children, Meghan and Connor. They enjoy spending their time together and with extended family and friends. Dr. McDonald and his family especially love bicycling and can be found exploring the bike paths around the Des Moines area. When not working or volunteering, his favorite interests include Iowa Hawkeye athletics, the Chicago and Iowa Cubs, skiing, pheasant hunting, reading, running, and spending time with his family and their dog, Winston.

Congratulations, Dr. Chris McDonald!

Dr. McDonald was awarded with the distinctive Master of the Academy of General Dentistry (MAGD)As of July 2023, Dr. McDonald was awarded with the distinctive Master of the Academy of General Dentistry (MAGD). This highly esteemed designation follows his Fellowship Award earned in 2015 with the Academy of General Dentistry and proves that he is a highly dedicated professional who is truly passionate about his career in dentistry for more than 25 years.  MAGD dentists are the best of the best in their respective field of dentistry. According the AGD, only about six percent of general dentists in the USA and Canada are AGD Fellows (FAGD), and less than two percent are AGD Masters like Dr. McDonald.  MAGD dentists care deeply for their patients and spend a lot of time continuing their education and researching the latest techniques and best practices in dentistry.  In order to earn his MAGD, Dr. McDonald completed over 1,100 hours of continuing education (CE) classes, including 400+ hours of his CE in hands-on courses, and he passed an exam equivalent in difficulty to his board certification exams he took upon the completion of his Doctorate of Dental Science degree from the University of Iowa in 1998.  We are most grateful and appreciative of Dr. McDonald’s sincere dedication to his career and leadership at his private practice here at McDonald Family Dentistry.

Congratulations to Dr. McDonald on his MAGD! I caught up with Dr. Christopher and Ann McDonald, as they explained their recent adventures. The most recent of which was a ten-day trip to see their daughter, Meghan, who is studying abroad for a semester in Italy. (Now, isn’t that cool, and it brings back similar memories.) So, it may seem anticlimactic to talk about other mundane lives; but we all know that is just as real. I had a nice talk with Ann, who helps to manage the solo dental practice, was telling me about their software and server updates, and having personalized care in the past, this must now be done by remote log ins and calls to distant places.

But to return to highlights, Dr. McDonald has been working on his MAGD since his FAGD in 2015 and this step-by-step process culminated in the AGD Convocation ceremony held in Las Vegas last July 22nd. Dr. McDonald brought his dental team, hygienists, dental assistants, and administration to the event and Ann explained that they attended a CEU class “Presenting Treatment and Getting Paid & The Customer Service Patient Care Checklist” Part 1 in the morning and Part 2 in the afternoon. This was taught by Debra Engelhardt-Nash AA, BFA.

Ann said, “Our team is still benefitting from the great experience we had together in Las Vegas this past summer.” Dr. McDonald explained that in addition to the award ceremony, they celebrated their recent office renovation that added two operatories, and an updated state-of-the-art sterilization center.

Reflecting, Dr. McDonald said, “I just celebrated my 25-year dental class reunion.  Man, where does that time go!” His father, Dr. Terry McDonald, (University of Iowa Class of ’73) was a dentist in Sac City, and he also practiced lifetime learning.  Dr. Christopher said, “We owe it to ourselves and our patients to keep growing and improving.”  Dr. Christopher added, “My father would be amazed at all of our new technology.” He added, “However, it still comes down to our relationships with our patients and that is what I really enjoy.”

I had asked him about his continuing education, and he has been to Utah for Gordon Christenson’s classes and their online education, newsletter, and short courses. He also completed the University of Minnesota’s Restorative curriculum series program and continues to attend the University of Iowa College of Dentistry’s Football “tailgate” CE courses on Saturday mornings before home games. He said, “Whenever I can, we add in some family vacation time with CE courses like ski trips to Utah and Colorado.”

Dr. McDonald wrote, “I try to give back with the Dental Lifeline Network, Everyone for Veterans, and enjoy working at the Iowa Veteran’s Home (2 days per month for the past 21 years). I was an Army medic during Desert Storm, so I enjoy helping veterans.  I hope to continue to keep working in the future with volunteer opportunities even after retirement as long as the Good Lord grants me the ability! 😀”

Dr McDonald wrote, and I love having his comments to close, “I’ve been lucky to have a great wife and partner, Ann.  We have two terrific kids, Meghan (junior year at University of Denver) and Connor (senior at Dowling Catholic High School).  I have been blessed and I’m hoping to keep helping folks and growing with our great profession for years to come.”

IAGD Editor

Jon Hardinger DDS, MAGD

Christopher J. McDonald, D.D.S. Receives AGD Fellowship Award

The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) is pleased to announce that Christopher McDonald, DDS, FAGD, of Urbandale, Iowa, received the association’s Fellowship Award during the AGD 2015 annual meeting, which took place June 18 to 21 in San Francisco, California.

The AGD Fellowship Award is presented to dentists who seek to provide the highest quality dental care by remaining current in their profession. To earn this prestigious honor, Dr. McDonald completed 500 hours of dental continuing education, passed a comprehensive written exam, and fulfilled three years of continuous membership in the AGD.

As a Fellowship Award recipient, Dr. McDonald joins more than 6,600 active AGD Fellows who have gone above and beyond the basic requirements to care for their patients’ oral health.

“We are proud to honor Dr. McDonald for his commitment in reaching this lofty goal,” says AGD Immediate Past President W. Carter Brown, DMD, FAGD. “He has distinguished himself professionally among his peers and is a role model for both his fellow dentists and the Des Moines community.”

Dr. McDonald graduated from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry in 1998 and currently practices dentistry in Urbandale. He and his wife, Ann, have two children, Meghan and Connor.

About the Academy of General Dentistry
The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) is a professional association of 39,000 general dentists dedicated to providing quality dental care and oral health education to the public. AGD members stay up-to-date in their profession through a commitment to continuing education. Founded in 1952, the AGD is the second largest dental association in the United States, and it is the only association that exclusively serves the needs and represents the interests of general dentists. A general dentist is the primary care provider for patients of all ages and is responsible for the diagnosis, treatment, management, and overall coordination of services related to patients’ oral health needs. For more information about the AGD, visit www.agd.org.

Why Choose McDonald Family Dentistry

  • Long history of serving the community’s dental care needs
  • Convenient office location
  • Wide range of services to meet every patient’s goals
  • High-tech, state-of-the-art technology
  • Competitive fees

A Down-To-Earth
Family Practice

Under the leadership of Dr. McDonald, our entire team goes above and beyond to create an environment that is down to earth and relaxed. Thanks to our office’s beautiful natural surroundings and friendly, laid-back atmosphere, even the most anxious patients report feeling comfortable. Come see the difference for yourself!